


Broken Memories

by Jinjing



Category: Twilight Series - Stephenie Meyer
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-08-07
Updated: 2014-08-11
Packaged: 2018-02-12 03:32:00
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 8,576
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2094093
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jinjing/pseuds/Jinjing
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>An immortal child that had managed to escape the initial killings of the children is finally captured by the Volturi.  With her useful ability she is able to secure more time to live and a place among the prestigious guard. Will she be able to meet the high expectations set for her? Or will she break under her own shortcomings and convoluted past. As she tumbles through time, she will have to question if there is truly right or wrong.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own anything that is Stephanie Meyer's (certain plot lines from the series, characters). The only things I own are things that do not appear in the Twilight saga, historical events/people, and public domain items.
> 
> Any criticism, critiques,and comments, are completely welcome. I started writing fanfiction to improve my writing skills and I would love to know what I'm doing well or doing wrong. Thanks for reading!

**Chapter 1**

The trees cried under the weight of the morning dew, at least for those that retained their leaves. The others grasped around wildly, mourning their loss like the humans that shuffled beneath them. It was a small cemetery that hid in the shadow of the church and mountain that kept watch over it. Graves were placed with the usual care and planning of a toddling child. Some were only marked by a faded rock or by a small grassy mound.

The few people that visited hugged their coats and the little sliver of sunlight that managed to creep over the mountain. To these sorrowing humans, the cloaked caravan arriving was not an unusual sight. Only their gliding movement, like a black mist tumbling over the mounds and slipping past the graves, was unusual. Otherwise, just a painful reminder of how hard this year had been for the living.

But for one frail child, this was worse than anything that she had seen. She stared at them from a tree nestled toward the edge of the cemetery. She sat still partly because she hoped they wouldn’t see her and by the fact she felt her body could not move. She had limped, and then dragged herself to this location. Her foot had been twisted badly in an earlier chase. She carefully grabbed a handful of the wet dirt and tried to use it to cover her wounds so they wouldn’t smell it. It was a desperate and useless move. They already knew she was there.

The more muscular man of the group was shifting side to side more out of excitement than nerves, as they approached the girl. When they were close enough to the tree, they could hear the quick, shallow breath of the child.

"Poor little thing, she looks so cute!" A girl with fair skin, whiter than snow, chuckled. As soon as she spoke the child jumped and stumbled behind the dead willow's frozen trunk. Her hand had barely brushed the tree when silver flakes, almost like moths, appeared attaching themselves to the tree. As it spread, the first flakes peeled off revealing the petrified bark. In only a matter of seconds the willow tree had been devoured by the silver snow and stood petrified. The wind had blown softly but turned some of the gangly branches into dust. Any hope of reviving the tree was gone.

"Is that little monster still cute, Andrea? She can bring instant death by simply making contact with your skin. Now wear your gloves before I decide to take them from you and watch you die." The lean man, the apparent leader of the group, snapped. All of the cloaked people exchanged cold glances. This “simple” mission was taking a toll on everybody.

"You have to admit, Terrence, she is adorable. Oh, and how could you live without me? Always cooped up in your room trying to sleep like humans, without me you would be bored to death." Andrea sniggered. She had a point for once; there was something charming about the child's innocent looks.

She had to be at least four or five, with black hair, angled down from the back of her neck to her delicate collar bone. Bangs parted to both sides of her face hung above her eyes which were like small emeralds. If you looked into them hard enough you could see another world. One where everything hung in a balance that was just as delicate as she was. The inner machinations of this world swung like trapeze artists. Red islands that were almost black disrupted the green world. They dashed back and forth across the world accessing the situation. Her skin, that was not bruised and cut, was pale. The thin dress frock she wore took more away from her innocent looks with its tattered muddy hem and the prominent blood stains. A scar that reached from her left shoulder blade to her hip was visible from the tears in the sleeve and the waist of her dress when she turned around.

"Well it will be a great victory for vampires today. This is the last of those immortal children. Felix, Andrea are you ready? Be careful she has more powers than that." commanded Terrence. Felix stopped fidgeting and smiled with an all too bubbly "yes". Andrea flashed a look of worry and then gave a sigh and a nod. She really didn't want fight this immortal child since it killed her one true love only two weeks ago.

* * *

 

"Wait up, God, I can't run that fast!" yelled a lady. She was trying to keep up with her companion, a man her age with burnt auburn hair. He had to be at least a foot taller than her. With his long legs and speed, he easily out ran her. Although she was yelling, he never stopped. "JONATHAN, ARE YOU FRICKIN' DEAF!" Now her yelling had turned into an ear piercing scream. He paused, debating whether he wanted to face her wrath now or face it later when she would be twenty times angrier with him. His question was answered when he received a swift punch in his back.

"Ow! That hurt Andy, gosh I'm going to have a bruise for weeks!" he said in his usual sarcastic voice.

"Do you always have to be such a sarcastic jerk?" she choked out through her tears. At first, he felt sorry for her until he looked in her eyes and saw the smirking glint. Of course, she would use her acting skills to trick him into feeling guilty. Before she realized he saw through her façade, he shook her. "Aaaah! Okay okay! Stop shaking me! Put me down NOWWWWW." she screeched.

"Okay! Going down. No, actually, it's going up above the clouds." Before she could say another word, he tossed her up high into the air. She had to have at least gone up fifteen feet. For a few seconds she was scared, but then she relaxed reminding herself she couldn't die with him there. As fast as she was tossed, she found herself in his arms. How silly was she to think she could die? He was a vampire after all he would never let her fall. As they looked at each other, he slowly put her down and smiled.

"Isn't it beautiful Andy? Just imagine once you’re turned we can live over there forever together."

* * *

 

 

But they didn't. He had let her fall after all the times he caught her. After he died the life in her died too. Everyone in the guard had thought that she had recovered, but that was only her ability. She hid her pain, everyday putting on an act. The tears she once pretended to cry were more than real. Though, now she couldn't cry physically, she could feel them tear her up. The only reason why she was this way was right in front of her. This immortal child, so small and fragile, yet it had taken two souls in one blow. This child had not hurt him. No, Jonathan wanted to protect it. When he died, he told her to make sure this child lived.

Somehow, his will for this child lived on with her. This made her more miserable, as her instinct to kill this little monster while she felt a love like a mother to her daughter for this child.

"Andrea, don't daydream now."

Quickly Andrea snapped out of her daze to see Felix being flung to the ground. She panicked. Felix had never been flung. What surprised everyone was who had flung him. Yes this was an immortal child but she looked so weak. She was on her knees panting, a puddle of bile on the ground.

Andrea shivered at the sight of the disgusting puddle. How far was this going to go? Idiot. She knew when they talked to her what her purpose was. “Make the mission easy Andrea. We know how talented you are” they said. It was nothing but easy. Strangling a werewolf with a handkerchief was easier than this. Why were they trying to kill this kid? What had she done wrong? The fact this child was alive was her crime. Andrea started to hyperventilate, as if it was even possible.

"What's wrong Andrea?"

She looked up to see Terrence and another guard member were looking at her, panicked. She had to think fast to at least save this little girl's life for a bit longer.

"What are we doing? This is an immortal child! There's no way we'll be able to fulfill our mission without revealing ourselves!" There was a silent pause until it was interrupted by the quick breathing of the child.

"Well, I think Andrea's right for once." Felix sighed then smiled while he got up. There was a murmur of agreement. If Andrea's heart had been alive it would be pounding.

"So what do we do now? It's impossible to touch her without being killed. Unless… Andrea would you be able to convince her?" She had to laugh a bit silently. Terrence wanted her to use her power now. She had been using it all along. The power to convince anyone just by acting. Ever since she was born, she had been able to act well. When she turned into a vampire, it turned into the power of being able to act like something she wasn't. She could convince anyone of what she wasn't. This was her chance to save the child.

"I'll try." She said softly. Though, she was confident in her power she knew that the most powerful and talented vampires could see through it. She had never tried it on an immortal child.

She approached the kid slowly. The child did not run. All it did was stay there. "Hi, I'm sorry for what Felix tried to do to you. He just gets too excited when he meets a new member to our family"

The little girl just sat there and stared at Andrea with those piercing green eyes. She paused a few moments to check if her guard was down. It had lowered, but it wasn't at a trusting level. "Oh, you must be confused why I'm calling you family. The leader of our coven wants you to join us" Her eyes looked at Andrea with a skeptical look, then it turned harsh. She had seen through it.

Andrea panicked. She had to find a way to convince the little girl to go. With her instincts taking over, she grabbed the little girl's arm without her gloves and said "listen, Jonathan has wanted you to live. I can't explain it in detail, but you trusted him didn't you? I want you to trust me also. If you go with these people you won't be killed. Please just live." Like what happened with the tree the silver flakes traveled up Andy's arm. Andrea could almost see Jonathan’s face. Smiling just like hat day in the field. A warm feeling filled her head. Something so nostalgic and delirious. She laughed not sure if it was because she was scared or euphoric.

Andrea looked up and saw an ebony crow sitting on the tree. The last thing she would see before she died.


	2. Chapter 2

As everyone was waiting in the great hall for the immortal child team to return, all that could be heard was Aro's bony fingers tapping on his throne. None of the guard members wanted to make a move or speak. It was painfully obvious that this was one of his bad days. Although Aro was the head of the Volturi, when outsider vampires were gone, he acted like a sniveling child. This drove Marcus and Caius mad. When Aro started acting like this, it was usually Marcus and some unlucky guard member that was his target. Hoping to go under the radar, Marcus slunk in but to no avail.  
"MARCLE SPARKLE! I'M TIRED I WANT SOME BLOOD I’M BORED ENTERTAIN ME…" Aro continued on. Marcus knew he couldn't give any of those things to Aro. If he did he would have vampire barf on his bed. Also, he just finished cleaning his room from last time.  
He shuddered. It had been horrible. Aro had been on his little "let's try and seduce Marcus spree". After that one Sulpicia went on a wrecking spree.  
Marcus looked at the wall behind his chair. There was a big gaping hole that was the shape of the newest guard member, Adede. Her name described her perfectly. She was fast and small like a grasshopper, except for the fact of the grasshopper part. As soon as Sulpicia threw Adede, Heidi went nuts. All that he could guess was that Heidi had adopted Adede as her 'daughter'. Marcus finally made his way to his seat and slumped down.  
"Aro, shouldn't we be waiting for the team" Caius asked casually.  
"I'm tired of waiting it's been so long. Where are they? France isn't that far away." Aro's voice got higher every second. It was partially true. The team of fifty had been dispatched three weeks earlier. Then again, it was an immortal child that had somehow escaped the Volturi for centuries. The longer Marcus began to think, the more panicked he became. What if they had been exposed or that child wiped the whole team out? But just as his anxiety grew, Cecilia entered.  
"Master, the team has come back with the child." The tension that was had already been there had increased. They had been sent to kill it not bring it back.  
"Well, bring them in, let's see them." Aro commanded  
Both Caius's and Marcus's gaze met, the once crybaby, Aro, had been replaced by his cold, heartless side. Slowly Felix and Terrence walked through the door. "Terrence, Felix, where's Andrea?" Aro asked coolly.  
Alec's POV  
"She was killed master, by the child," Terrence choked out. It was obvious that it was a ghastly incident. Just by the expressions on the lower vampires' faces.  
"How?"  
"She said that it would be easier if we convinced the child to come back here and then kill her. Everyone agreed. The child had just thrown Felix. Also, when we approached her she hid behind a tree and touched it. As soon as she touched it, a silver snow devoured the tree. It would be too dangerous to fight her there without being noticed. So, Andrea went over near to the child to try to use her power. It worked for a few seconds, but the girl saw through it. She was about to turn hostile but Andrea grabbed the child. Somehow they connected on a mental level. The silver snow slowly killed Andrea. After Andrea was dead the girl passed out." There was a long pause; everyone looked worried except for Jane and Alec.  
"Well, this is very interesting. Can you put the child down, Felix?" Everyone's eyes darted to Felix's back where the girl lay. She wasn't passed out but she was obviously under Terrence's power of immobility. As Felix lay her down on the cool marble floor, she was released, but she just continued lie there.  
"Felix, Terrence, you may go to the side. Now, little girl, could you tell me who you are?" Aro inquired. The child still lay there, breathing slowly and deeply. Jane automatically started to use her power. Everyone just stopped and waited for the little girl's screams, but she just kept lying there. Her eyes opened, boring right back at Jane. You could tell that she felt the pain but held it in till she couldn't take it any longer. Her mouth opened letting out a silent scream. A satisfied smile appeared on both Aro's and Jane's faces. Aro waved Jane off.  
"Elezaer, could you please tell me what her power is." Aro said. Elezaer came forward and took another look at Calandra.  
"Well, she actually has two; the first one is an adapting power. It changes depending on her surroundings and what she needs to survive. Then, her other one…" Elezaer paused. His brow furrowed then he continued "The other one is the ability to turn herself back into a human. All her vampire traits disappear, and she just lives like them. But... With more control she probably could make certain traits disappear. Right now, it seems she can only keep her adapting and strength with her"  
"Does that mean she would be able to grow? Say she stays human for ten years, would she look exactly like she was fifteen years old, and would mean that when she turned back in the vampire she would be the same a fifteen year old girl?"  
"I don't know. This is the first time I've seen this," stuttered Eleazar. What was Aro thinking? Immortal children were uncontrollable, and their appetites were impossible to sate. Just then, the girl raised her head so she was still on her side but sitting up. One of the rays of the sun shot through and hit her skin. It dazzled but differently; it sparkled like a diamond chandelier. The light reflected of her but she gave off her own light. It was a soft glow that was small but gave off a steady warm light.  
Aro slowly got up and approached the girl. When Reneta tried to follow, he waved her off. Jane looked at Alec, puzzled beyond belief. Reneta was his shadow and protected him. He could hold his own in a fight but his importance to the existence of their coven was not worth risking him getting killed. Aro then asked, sighing like a Prima Donna "Could you please tell me your name? I am quite tired of using child, girl, and it."  
"Calandra." Some were taken back at the clarity and softness of her voice. For Alec it seemed familiar, like he had heard it call his name so many times before. He had only chased after her a few times but never got close to her to really talk to her or hear her voice. This was probably the first time that she had seen him.  
"Well, Calandra, what a beautiful name, too bad we don't know if you could grow or else you could have lived. Can you give me your hand?" Slowly, she gave him her hand.  
As soon as they touched all of them found themselves on a lush, French country side. Alec realized they were traveling through her memories. A burst of giggles could be heard from two small girls one about five years old, the other much older. The older one had brown springy curls. She had a crown of daisies in her hair. The other girl was Calandra except there were differences. The prominent scar on her back was gone.   
"Calandra, tag you're it!" The other girl screamed. Alec watched these two girls run around playing tag until Calandra tagged the other girl. Both of them fell down, looking at the sky. Calandra then turned over on her stomach and looked at her friend.  
"Sophie" He turned back to watch the two little girls, just to see them in front of a straw home. "Sophie, can you promise me something?"  
"What Calandra?"  
"Will you always be my best friend?"   
“mhhm, now can you promise not to tell anyone something?" Calandra looked down at the dirt. She nodded solemnly.  
"Yes"  
"You know Daniel."  
"Yes." Calandra said, confused by the statement. Daniel was a close friend of Sophie's, and she saw him regularly when she watched the sheep with the sisters. They never talked to each other but only watched the rocks that Daniel threw into the river.  
"I like him." Calandra grew even more confused by her friend's words. Sophie, not satisfied by Calandra's reaction continued on. "We're going to fall in love and get married when we're older. That’s what my sister said when a boy and girl like each other." She paused again to see Calandra's response.  
"That's nice." Calandra really didn't know what else to say. She was a young girl it was not expected to have these feelings dominate her mind.   
Sophie got up and sighed dramatically. "You are hopeless you know?" She threw her hands in the air and walked off.  
The memory started to race by. Alec could only see a few things pass by, like Calandra standing next to a river, and what Alec presumed was the Daniel boy. When it stopped, Calandra was at that same straw house sleeping in a bed of hay. Someone grabbed her sharply from her slumber. Sophie stood with a grim look on her face. Calandra with her childish naïveté did not pick up on her friend’s ominous aura. She smiled sleepily at her friend’s appearance.  
“Sophie-“  
“Get up.” She pulled Calandra by the hand, roughly leading her outside. The night was bright with the full moon. Calandra could hear only the crickets and rustle of the leaves. Still, Sophie yanked her toward the tree line almost afraid to be seen with her along that worn path. Calandra stumbled over the woody debris of the forest floor. A river appeared through the trees. It was the same one that Calandra sat at while the sheep ate, splashed in when the sun burned her skin, and where Sister Anaise helped her wash her clothes.   
Sophie stopped leaving Calandra, who stared off to the south where those memories had happened, alone. Busied with her memories, Calandra did not notice Sophie’s actions. Only when she appeared again, this time behind Calandra, did she snap her out of her thoughts.  
“You are disgusting,” she sneered pushing Calandra. “Why do you sin so much? You are a liar! And I am done lying for you! You act so very precious, so very special like you are Mary holding the Son of God!”   
Calandra stood still, too scared to do anything. Sophie seemed so much taller than she had been the other day.   
“Why aren’t you saying anything,” she violently whispered in Calandra’s face.   
“Sophie, I’m sorry.”  
“soooorryy. That is all you utter. Every. Morning. Night. and day. You cannot say sorry for what I saw. I saw you! I saw you there. How amazingly natural you are… It was like you were born for that one purpose. You didn’t stop until you beat the life out of- I saved your life keeping quiet all this time while damning my own.” She sputtered. Her movements became erratic stalking around Calandra like a wild animal.  
“You frighten me. You really scare me. AHHH!” Suddenly someone grabbed her from behind. In the struggle, Calandra saw other figures in the darkness. A man who looked like Brother Enzo, though it was hard to tell with the tree’s shadows, came over and lifted her up. He held her up over the water. Calandra struggled harder, as the man plunged her into the water.  
Caught off guard, water flooded her nose and throat. Combined with the water’s shockingly cold temperature, Calandra flailed harder trying to escape. She grabbed for the man trying to stop her frightening situation.  
A scream interrupted the sound of the prayers whispered from the trees. It was hard to tell what happened. The warm viscous liquid dripped down mixing with the icy water. The man reeled back in pain and pulled Calandra out of the water for a moment. She gasped for but found she was falling back quickly to the ground.  
The water invaded farther this time rushing into her lungs. She choked trying to eject the water only to take on more. The chill ran through her body practically paralyzing her and numbing her brain. In a horrible but practical way of thinking, she did not suffer more when her head was cracked on the rocks in shallows of the river.   
Under the water and the blood, the sky looked beautifuly distorted. The stars… the stars were close and the moon shimmering like the silver fish she saw in the lake a few… they had some rosy scales… it was bright… and dark at the same time…   
"Stop!" Alec ran forward toward Calandra but he hadn't yelled out stop that was Jane and someone else. The memory stopped and they found themselves back in the throne room. In the middle Alec stood of the girl. Calandra's eyes were wide open. Her trapeze world was crumbling. Jane was standing right next to Alec just as shocked. Aro feeling no emotion at all just simply shrugged.  
"Does it matter? She must die anyway" Aro said  
"No, she is going to stay." Alec commanded. Aro was taken aback. Never had anyone seen Alec tell Aro what he was going to do. This impulse he had pushed him to fight back.  
"No, we didn't make an exception for the others"  
"Yes, but she has a power that makes her different. We'll never know if she would be able to defy the odds." An old croaky voice said. Everyone had a look of shock on their face. It was quiet again except for Calandra's breathing. This was the longest Marcus talked.  
"But...Who will take care of her? Have you not forgotten she is a bloodthirsty vampire that has no sense of right or wrong?" Aro Asked.  
"Aro, will you just shut up already! This is beneficial to all of us. I will raise her as my own daughter. I'll take care of her." Everyone, even Calandra, stopped breathing. Alec picked up Calandra and held her tighter. Jane stepped in front of Alec. She was ready if Aro went on his rage.  
"Alec. Place her in the empty bedroom in the guard quarters. "Aro now looked away from the others, bored with the situation. Caius still sat looking upset that his plan to exterminate every single immortal child was now destroyed yet again by this one child.  
Alec looked back at his sister who was going through her own confusion of her irregular actions. He helped Calandra up and escorted her out of the throne room. This child could not become a weakness for him. He needed to make sure that anything like what happened in there never happened again.


	3. Chapter 3

In her stupor, Calandra could feel her own abhorrence in herself. She had done many things to survive but acting like the little naïve child she used to be was low. The only relief she felt was that she could still live to see another day.

Now her only task was to make it to the room, where she could cough up a lung, and any other vital organ for that matter, in peace. Showing any type of weakness would send her to her death on the fine line she walked here.

Calandra looked up at her guide, hoping to see signs of them reaching their destination. All she saw was his back. Since they left, what she presumed was the throne room; he had not looked back at her. It was just a fleeting moment of compassion. From the reaction of the others, she could guess that Alec and the blonde hair woman were not known for their caring natures.

Alec. His name felt like she had called it so many times before. It was so familiar to her. She tried to think of all the people she could remember. There were no Alecs. Calandra felt her mind stop every time when she tried to think of the time in between the grave yard and her death.

Suddenly, she felt the world blur and fade. The sound of forest birds and the trees swaying with the breeze resounded in her ears. The stone floors of the castle turned to grass and dirt. His red eyes appeared full of concern, but then she found herself back in the stone stairwell. During her small episode, she had sunken against the wall clinging to it to keep her balance. His concerned eyes were replaced with ones that showed no concern or hate. Deciding that she was fine, he got up and continued on. Calandra stumbled after him.

"It isn't much farther. Please die there. It'll be easier to clean up the mess on flat ground." He said with much disinterest  
Finally, what felt like eternity for her, ended as they entered a capacious room that was dominated by a fireplace across from them. A few vampires sat in the chairs neatly organized in the center of the room and the window sills of the tall arched windows. All the eyes locked on her with looks of wonderment and disgust that showed clearly upon their faces.

Mostly disgust though.

Alec pressed on, not acknowledging them. They turned left down a smaller hallway that branched off from the main room. At the very end, he stopped and pushed opened a door.

The room was neither large nor small. It was modest in size. A bed with plain sheets and two chairs were the first things Calandra saw. She walked tentatively into the room, ready for Alec or someone else to jump out and rip her head off. Nothing came, and Alec brushed past her, disappearing through another doorway. He came back with a small bundle and plopped it down in her arms.

"Try to make yourself presentable." He walked out of the room without even looking at her.  
With the door closed, Calandra was able to take a closer look at her new surroundings. A small bookshelf and dresser stood out of sight from the doorway. She wandered over to the bookshelf, leafing through the scant amount of books that resided on it. The sudden movement of the white curtains next to the bookshelf revealed that the two arched windows they concealed were really doors. Curiosity over took her and dragged her closer. She slid behind the white curtains and leaned against the glass doors softly so not to break it. Her atramentous hair contrasted against the white curtains making it easy for someone to see her.

Outside the small balcony was a circular atrium. Below, there were flowers and small trees and other flora. A small fountain and statues stood in the middle. At the very top of its domed ceiling was a circular cut that let in a small amount of light. A yearning welled up in her heart to go see this atrium from the ground, but she would have to earn her keep here if she so much as wished to see anything. She continued to gaze out until voices floating up from below scared her back in. She rushed to the wall furthest away from the doors. She slid down, gripping her bundle tightly.

When the voices finally disappeared and she turned her head she was startled yet again by a little girl covered with fresh lacerations and obviously sick staring back at her.

Calandra had not realized how bad her wounds had really looked. Discomfiture took her at the thought of her appearance in front of all those people. She looked down at the bundle. "Make yourself presentable"…..

* * *

After many hours, Calandra was finally greeted with silence. It had to be nighttime for everyone to be away from their rooms. With already a small time frame for light to shine in the atrium, it was difficult to keep track of time. During those hours, she had been calculating and orienting herself-ultimately concluding that she had three days max to heal before even Marcus deemed her useless. Aro had probably already decided she was in the first hour.

She sat up on her bed and listened carefully. Her neighbor was most definitely gone by now. A few seconds ago, she had heard them give a muffled a cough and their door open. Now there wasn't any presence to be felt. She felt safer moving around when there was nobody to hear her and slid off her bed.

Hoping that her wounds had healed, she inspected herself in the mirror. She at least didn't look like she had been dragged in the dirt and fight with wild dogs. The minor scratches no longer bled, and the scabs were smaller. Even with five days to heal, the large scar on her back was still fresh with pain. It throbbed just as she remembered it when the cut was inflicted. Fighting Felix had reopened it in places. The reactions from the other vampires told her that she was not imagining the severity of it. No matter how hard she tried to hide it, their sharp sight would see it. An angst ridden sigh escaped from her mouth.

"NO… you will not mope. You are not a pathetic sniveling little child. If you moped every time something bad happened to you would be dead." Calandra castigated herself silently.

With new found gusto, she put on the clothes given to her and peeked out her bedroom door. The hallway was empty. She really didn't want to encounter anybody while she was familiarizing herself with the castle.

The coast clear, Calandra walked back to the fireplace room. No one was there, giving her some relief. She walked into the stairwell and looked up and then down, trying to decide where she would go. Going up would mean that she would stumble back closer to the throne room. Her safest bet was to go down.  
She stepped down, but at the same time, someone else started walking up from below. Fearful, she dashed up the stairs until she saw an open archway, which brought her into another maze of hallways and doors.

She pressed herself behind a couch waiting to see if they had followed her. The person's light footsteps continued walking up until they had passed her, and she sighed, brushing the dust and cobwebs that had resided behind the couch off of her dress.

Trying to memorize every single part of this castle was a daunting task, but she could never know when she would have to escape quickly. She started walking down one of the halls. Ornate steel chandeliers hung from the ceiling and lit up the halls with a bright candle light glow. Art collected throughout the centuries hung along walls.  
She recognized some paintings of the French country side painted during her human life. She looked at the artist skillful strokes that were able to capture the lush countryside. The next hall was covered with windows on one side. They were like the ones in the fireplace room, long and receded into the wall. At the top and the bottom the window were stain glass patterns. All of it followed a pale color scheme. In human eyes it would seem colorless but with better sight the pale pigments were evident.

Calandra looked out one of the windows to see the sleeping city of Volterra. Cozy was a word that came to mind when one saw it. All the buildings squeezed together, and trees dotted the town. A clock tower rose above all the other buildings. It was not as dark as before and she could tell that it would only be maybe an hour or two before the sun would rise.

Deciding not to waste any more time she whipped around only to run into someone's leg. Stumbling back, she saw two female vampires. Her eyes refocused and were immediately caught by one of them.

She was at loss of words to describe the woman she ran into. Even the most talented artist would not be able to capture her beauty. She was the type of beautiful that even the gods pined to look like her. The way how her brown hair framed her face and crimson eyes like rubies entranced Calandra. Lips a beautiful vermillion, she could turn even vampires ugly when compared to her in comparison. Perfect, and splendid did no justice to describe her beauty. Calandra felt entranced by this woman. Calandra let her slender fingers cup her face. The woman brushed her hands attentively over Calandra's face like she was inspecting a gem for any imperfections.  
"What a shame," she said with a charming voice that sounded like wind chimes. "You aren’t very pretty like Felix said, Then again, why do I listen to a tasteless bundle of muscles?”

"I don't know, Heidi. Those eyes are very unique. They seem like they could be very pretty." The other brunette said. She was also very beautiful, but next to the woman named Heidi, it was hard to tell.

Heidi let go of Calandra's face and turned to her companion. "Yes, I guess Chelsea. There was always something enchanting about the immortal children. Can you do anything?"

Calandra nodded her head eagerly yes, but then regretted it. Her singing talent was not the best. Maybe if she had dedicated more time to practice singing she would have been good, but surviving to see the next day had seemed more important.

She cleared her throat and let her voice flow out. She sang and old French folk song that her mother had sung to her when she was a toddler. The words and tone of her voice did not form as well as her mother had done. Her voice was not mature and sounded very childish. She cut the song short only singing a stanza.  
Heidi closed her eyes analyzing the performance. "You're okay. At least you have potential, unlike your looks." Even with her sweet bell like voice the criticism cut Calandra like a knife.

"Heidi, please do not make it hard for me to get her to like it here." Chelsea said exasperated. She motioned to Calandra who was still in Heidi's entrancement.  
"I'm sorry. I can't help that I'm gorgeous and like pretty things." Heidi said arrogantly. Chelsea rolled her eyes and left, dragging Heidi away.

With Heidi gone, Calandra snapped out of her trance. Her first encounter with another member by herself had not been horrible. All her appendages and digits were accounted for, so she took it as a success  
________________________________________  
Calandra walked into what looked to be the library. Bookshelves lined the walls and desks and more bookshelves were organized in an orderly fashion. As she walked down the center aisle between the desks, her eyes wandered up to second story where behind the balcony lay more books. A pulchritudinous fresco was painted on the ceiling. Puckish cherubs and omnipotent gods resided between clouds.

"It was very awe-inspiring seeing the artist paint that fresco," a croaky voice said to her.

Calandra whirled around to see Marcus slouching in a chair surrounded by books. His face was still sepulchral as ever. He smiled slightly at her, or maybe his mouth twitched a bit. It was hard to tell the difference.

"Have you met anyone in your wanderings?" he inquired, motioning for her to come over.

"Yes. Heidi and Chelsea." Calandra replied. Marcus rubbed his forehead hearing their names.

"Ah yes those two…" He said. "Be nice to Chelsea. She is able to build relationship and loyalties. She usually will be able to get her way most of the time. If you're able to get on Heidi's good side she'll make sure you'll have a good meal." The conversation stopped awkwardly. He looked at Calandra not sure what to think of her.

“What are you reading?” Calandra asked nervously.

"Have you ever heard of a man named Aristotle?"

Calandra shook her head no.

"He was a brilliant man, born about a thousand years after I was. Aro and I were able to save some of his works." Marcus opened up a scroll and began reading to her.  
She spent most of that day leaning her elbows on the armrest looking at the scrolls Marcus read. They were interrupted by Alec who appeared later, telling Marcus his presence was requested by Aro.

Marcus picked up Calandra and placed her into Alec's arm. They both watched him go, and then turned to each other. A long silence passed before Calandra started pushing away from Alec. She finally escaped from his grip and dropped to the ground like a cat. She brushed herself off and gave a defiant glare in return to Alec's usual apathetic pout. They walked side by side down the hallways until they met two other vampires.

"Oh, Alec, there you are!" said Demetri. Alec walked over to them and silently joined them.

Calandra, grateful for her exclusion, daydreamed away. She felt herself relax until a sprig of dark brown hair peeked out of a column. She cocked her head to the side in curiosity and crept forward toward the column. When she was on the other side, of the column Calandra peeked around it, coming face to face with a girl who had to be at least six or seven years older.

The girl reminded Calandra how short she was. The girl had a saccharine face and crimson eyes. Her skin was much like her hair but a few shades lighter and the vampires' usual chalky pallor showed very little upon her. Otherwise she was unblemished.

They both stared at each other not knowing what to say. Like the younger vampires, the older ones ignored the other's conversation.

"Do you think…?" Demetri trailed off at the smell of blood. Everyone's eyes followed the smell to the source of the smell.

Calandra stood frozen as Adede was still clamped onto her shoulder. It was plain to see the horror on her face. Calandra realizing she had gone into her old habit of becoming human changed back to her normal form.

Adede reeled in disgust at the change in the blood to venom

"Adede, why did you do that?" Demetri asked.

"I thought she was dinner," she tittered innocently.

The horror on Calandra's face was replaced with open mouth disbelief. She looked back and forth with discomfiture.

"D…Did you just b…Bite me?"

* * *

Calandra's eyes fluttered as she woke up in her room. After the events of yesterday, she found it would be better to retire early. Her room was filled with soft morning light, telling her to get up. She groaned quietly and rubbed her eyes. A quick inspection of the room told her everything was still where it was and nothing was disturbed. It was not a dream.

She buried her head between her knees. The sheets felt so comfortable she didn't want to leave. It had been a week since she had last eaten, and she was feeling lethargic. At least she was healed now. Well… mostly.

A silver crescent had formed overnight on her neck. After she was bitten the skin turned red in irritation from the foreign poison. It had only itched lightly, but it was enough to annoy her.

She changed and walked into the fireplace room, only to jump back in surprise immediately. Many of the vampires she had met yesterday were sitting or standing in the room. She kept close to the outer walls and her head down in order to not attract attention.

Calandra almost made it to the stairwell but suddenly she felt a blow hit her back sending her forward. Mid fall, she felt her heart begin to beat as her body naturally protected her vampire identity by changing her human. It was useless here since they were all vampires, but like her adapting ability it was what her body felt was fit for the situation, not what she actually wanted.

Calandra clenched her teeth as her hands and knees scraped along the stone floor. Her palms were red where her skin was scraped, and her knees were probably the same. Turning to look at her attacker, she was met with the tall and strong build of Felix. She had not forgotten him at all.

"Now, we're even," He said, crossing his arms with the same cocky grin on his face. All the others in the room and turned to look at them. Calandra tried to keep calm and show control, proving that she was not dangerous like the other immortal children, but another taunting look from Felix sent her over the deep end.

She lunged at Felix, clawing at his face. He wrenched her from his body and threw her to the ground. As soon she hit the ground, she swung out her leg with enough force to knock him over. Not wasting a moment, she jumped on him, only to be blocked by his arm. His hand that had curled in a fist made contact with her side.  
She gasped for a breath as the air was knocked out of her. Unlike the last time they fought, it was fairer. Felix had learned his lesson from last time and did not underestimate her. His strength was overwhelming; the only advantage she had was her speed and size. Of course, she could just concentrate and focus on him turning human, but it would be unfair. Though at this point she was close to forgetting morals if it meant she would lose.

Calandra whipped her hand out, blocking another of Felix's punches. Each time they made contact, a low rumble sounded through the room. Felix was about to push her down to the ground when Jane walked in. This time, Jane seemed more unamused by seeing Calandra and Felix fighting. They both stopped and looked at Jane.  
"Aro wants us in the throne room." Her red eyes locked on Calandra who hung from Felix's arms.

"You too." Everyone hurried out of the room, heading out different ways to the throne room. Felix dropped her roughly on the ground.

"We'll call this a tie this time." He gave her a jocular smile.  
Calandra sat there, slightly confused by the sudden joking matter of the scuffle, until a pair of hands grasped her and pulled her up. She looked up to see Demetri.

"Thank you," she said quietly. He smiled at her thanks and motioned her to follow him.

"Don't worry about Felix. He's actually a very pleasant person. It's just that you were the first person to throw him." Demetri stated.

Calandra looked at Demetri skeptically. Why was he being so nice to her? As if he had read her thoughts, he told her, "I hope this does not go to your head, but after trailing after you for so many years, I admire you slightly. You made life here a bit interesting. You should have seen Caius after the seventy-fifth time you sent another team home empty handed." He laughed politely as he remembered the reaction.

Calandra felt her silent and harden exterior slip. She began to laugh softly with him.

"I thought you were going to be...childish. You seem very mature for your age."

"I've lived a long time," she explained, "A lot of it as a pseudo-human."

Demetri nodded his head in understanding.

She hesitated to ask him the question that bothered her. Could he really be trusted? She never did anything without a reason, and they were usually for her own personal gain. His pure friendly face finally coaxed it out of her. "Why are you being so nice to me?"

His polite smile changed to a thoughtful gaze as he thought.

"Because everybody needs a friend. And I think it would be more enjoyable to make them the natural way instead of Chelsea doing it for you."  
Calandra was silenced by this statement. It was quite obvious he was telling the truth. She could have an actual friend. Not any of those "friends" who were only there to enforce to the rest of society that she was a human girl.

He continued: "Besides if you and Felix plan to scuffle like that all the time, you'll need someone to save yourself from being killed. I've got your back." He patted her back carefully so not to hurt her reopened wound. "Well, good luck." He left her standing outside the imposing oak doors of the throne room.

The two voices in her head argued back and forth; one adamantly denied the friendship, the other was unperturbed by her having a friend. Her own inner voice tried earnestly to interject, but they ignored her. Ignoring them back seemed the only way to stop their fighting. Putting back up her silent and completely calm wall of protection, she composed herself

As she slipped in silently, Aro looked up from his throne. Pleased at her appearance he motioned to her to come to him. The room echoed with her light footsteps as she walked up the steps till she only stood a foot away from Aro.

"Calandra, how nice it is to see you cleaned up. Are you feeling better?" he asked flamboyantly. In return, she nodded solemnly. This was her first time seeing this side of Aro and she didn't know if he was joking around or not.

"That's good. Anyway Calandra," he addressed, his voice growing serious. "Since you are going to be staying here and as a guard member, you should have this." He handed her a neatly folded black coat. Atop it lay a necklace with a golden and silver V. In between the two lines was the Volturi coat of arms.

She grasped the necklace, not wanting to let it go. This was her ticket to safety, having it meant she was no longer on the run. But with it she was no longer able to go where she pleased. It would be hard to find anybody if she were stuck here. Then again, she had not had much success on her own. A thousand years since she last saw him, and she couldn't find him again. Besides, now it was only a choice of life or death.

She took the necklace and placed it around her neck. The cloak was just a bit too long and large on the sleeves. Other than that one technicality, everything fit her well.  
Aro smiled giddily seeing her. "Well you'll grow into it." He fished her hands out of the oversized sleeves and began jumping up and down in joy. Calandra resisted the jumping and was jerked back and forth. This Aro was worse to deal with than cold-hearted and slightly sensible Aro. When he stopped, he looked past her.

"Afton! Demetri! Come here." He beckoned. A man in his late twenties came up and stood next to Calandra. Demetri also appeared on the other side of her. The two were exact opposites in expression. Demetri had the same pleasant face from before, while Afton looked like he was told to dip his foot in a chamber pot and eat it. He was not thrilled to be placed with her.

"I want you to go to Follonica and check up on nomads that are currently near that area."

"Yes, Master," they said.  
Afton looked down on Calandra grimly. In response, Calandra rose up onto her toes, shaking slightly trying to keep her balance. Her chest puffed out, and she stuck up her chin defiantly. Her arms were outstretched in a ready to fight manner. A shy smile escaped Demetri, which was the only amused reaction in the room. Everyone else ignored her, but she did solicit some unhappy looks from Chelsea.

Afton continued his grim stare.

"Easy girl. Save your amazing strength for later," Demetri commented. He pulled her along out of the room with Afton following glumly.  
"She will be a most interesting addition to our family," Aro mused. His trademark, cunning smile appeared. With so many possibilities how could he not smile?


End file.
